Lord Wraith

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

S E A S O N O N E A W A R D S:

	Best Character Concept: When I started Absolute, I wanted to keep the game strictly to DC and Marvel properties. I didn't want to entertain other options too much. Then Hellboy came along, so I said it meshed well but it wasn't ground breaking. @Stein on the other hand challenged me by applying with a character I had never heard of from a franchise I certainly had never read. But Baal's concept I think stands out among 'alternate universe' concepts and I love the pitch towards his journey. We didn't see much of Baal this season but I'm hoping to see a lot more of him going forward because I love the idea of this character and the story that can be formed around him. Honorable Mention: @Bounce with Old Man Grayson and Robin the Toy Wonder
	Best Character Development: When @Bounce first approached me with the pitch of Old Man Grayson and Robin the Toy Wonder, I was less than thrilled. But I'm glad I relented because the journey of Toyboy and Dick has actually been very enjoyable. Toyboy still creeps me out, but I can recognize that while on his path to learn to be a real boy, he's reminding Dick to do the same. The pair compliments each other in the way a Batman and Robin should so I'm definitely eager to see where this story goes. Honorable Mention: @Hillan with Flash
	Best Season: I had previously tried to get the @The Bork Lazer to join Ultimate One Universe after noticing him lurking the thread and my profile. I'm certainly pleased that he opted to join this time around because Static has had one of the best Seasons. The way Shocker and Electrocutioner were both handled in this arc and their personal relationships with Virgil and those close to him made the stakes feel higher all the time. It was a very strong, interpersonal arc and I definitely think it's deserving of this award. Honorable Mention: @HenryJonesJr with Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy
	Best Story Arc: That said, while I think Static had the best overall season, @Webboysurf did one hell of an arc with Captain America. The loss of Sharon, in the end, is a devastating blow for Steve and I can't help but feel he'd like to take a trip back in time to prevent that loss. None the less, it's a shame that Webb has opted to hang up the Star-Spangled tights because he did a fantastic job over his run. Honorable Mention: @Star Lord with Wonder Woman
	Best Post: I have to give this one to @Hillan with this post. His Thawne is a constant joy to read. There's just something incredibly funny about this absolute sociopath playing hero because the time stream demands it. And there's no better post that illustrates Hillan in his groove than the one above. Honorable Mention: @DocTachyon with Spider-Man
	Best Antagonist: I have to once again give it to @The Bork Lazer with the Electrocutioner and Ebon. Ebon especially didn't make much of a prescence this season but when he did show up, he stole the show. I'm looking forward to him coming more into the light in later arcs. Electrocutioner was an absolute delight to read and someone was taken from being more of a joke villain to be a serious threat for Virgil. As I noted above, the threat felt real with Lester and that's good enough for me. Honorable Mention: @HenryJonesJr with Yondu, Drauga, and Mongul
	Best Supporting Cast: @DocTachyon hits it out of the park on this one. I always enjoy a post featuring Spider-Man and Friends. Whether it's Gwen, MJ, Harry or even JJJ, Doc's characterization of each character shines through and stands on its own. They're all fully fleshed out, three-dimensional characters. Gwen isn't just there to be the love interest, Harry isn't just the rich best friend. They could easily stand-in for Peter as the primary point of view and I love it. Honorable Mention: @Hound55 with Blue Beetle
	Best World Building: This one was tough because a lot of you picked your corners and built a house around them. But @Retired went just that tad bit further with his Titans. From the get-go, he began to make connections outside of his story. From Kitty having connections to Overwatch to Eli being connected to Captain America, Retired went that little bit further and connected himself to the greater world while also adding significantly to the game's Metahuman lore and even a little bit of the Cosmic with Starfire. Honorable Mention: @Star Lord with Wonder Woman
	Best Crossover: I have to give it to @DocTachyon and @Hound55 here. The Expo crossover with Ted, Harry and Peter was one of my favourites to read. Sometimes I find crossovers can feel forced like they're trying to enact a certain status quo, but this one was natural. It was awesome to see Peter geeking out over talking to Ted Kord while Ted himself was an absolute delight for both of the teens. I definitely am looking forward to seeing more crossovers like this in the future. Honorable Mention: @Star Lord and @Webboysurf with Captain America and Wonder Woman
	The Absolute Breakout Character: This was tough because a lot of people surprised me but none more so than @Natty with Magik. I knew literally nothing about Magik when Natty applied and she's easily become one of my favourite reads. Natty was also a huge asset towards resolving the Crisis in Star City so for that I definitely can't thank you enough. Given the character develop there and the new Season Two sheet, I'm really excited to see where Magik goes from here. Honorable Mention: @Hound55 with Blue Beetle
	The Absolute MVP Award: It is with sincere appreciation that I would like to acknowledge @Hound55 as my Season One MVP. The Crisis would never have been resolved without Hound, he always has an ear open to listen and bounce ideas off of and he's always open to working with other players. Hound is an absolute delight to write with and I definitely can't thank him enough for his contributions to this Season and hopefully many more. Honorable Mention: @webboysurf for his contributions to the IC

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@role model First off, I appreciate all of the effort you put into your application and the time you took to amend it to try to meet my standards. That said, however, even with the newest sheet submitted, I don't think you'll be a good fit for this roleplay and won't be taking you on as a player.

The character sheet still fails to meet the standards I have for the game and displays a misunderstanding of the game's world and nuances. You've expressed frustrations and openly admitted to misunderstanding the game's concept and how the narrative works and this is still clearly evident in the sheet's current revisions. I do admire your eagerness and enthusiasm but with the amount of instruction you've required for the construction of the CS, I don't think you'll mesh with the rest of the player base nor be able to integrate yourself into the IC and the game's narrative.

Again, I thank you for your time and patience and I hope you find a more fitting roleplay! My apologies it didn't work out this time.

All the best.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

I think I tried applying with the Bronze Tiger concept the last time and it didn't make the cut because of other's plans for stuff in Wakanda, so I'm thinking today when I get in from work I'll take a stab at the Thanagarian Darkhawk idea... @Lord Wraith

-Ω

@Omega Man

That was a different game. We have no one in Wakanda right now. But either option is fine by me.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

A N N O U N C E M E N T:

---

RE: SEASON ONE CRISIS - MASS PANIC

And with that, the Crisis is completed! Season One will continue for just a while longer while people post their individual epilogues but for the most part, it's resolved and over with. Special thank you to everyone who contributed to this Crisis through all its kinks and hold-ups. It has been a great learning experience for me as GM and I think we'll be able to make these go a bit more smoothly from now on.

For those who aren't caught up, I've compiled all of the posts directly relating to the Crisis together below:

CRISIS LEAD-INS:

_{◼ Gods Among Us #1.01 - Scientific Marvel
◼ Gods Among Us #1.02 - The Specimen
◼ Gods Among Us #1.03 - Mass Panic}

NEW YORK CITY:

_{◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Wonder Woman
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Spider-Man
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Supergirl
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Blue Beetle
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Captain America and Arsenal
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Static
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - X-Men
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - X-Men
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Wonder Woman and Supergirl
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Spider-Man
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Blue Beetle
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Wonder Woman
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - X-Men
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Static
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Spider-Man
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Wonder Woman and Static
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Captain America and Arsenal
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Supergirl
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Spider-Man and Blue Beetle
◼ Gods Among Us #1.04 - The Needs of the Many
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Static
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Blue Beetle
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Wonder Woman
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Supergirl
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Blue Beetle
◼ Crisis Tie-In (New York) - Captain America and Arsenal}

STAR CITY:

_{◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Green Arrow
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Valor
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Valor
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Green Arrow
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Flash
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Green Arrow and Magik
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Green Arrow
◼ Crisis Tie-In (Star City) - Flash}

CONCLUSION:

_{◼ Gods Among Us #1.05 - Devastation and Reform}

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ SEASON ONE: GODS AMONG MEN ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

_{Location: Four Freedoms Plaza - New York City, United States of America}

Season One #1.05: Devastation and Reform

---

_{Interaction(s): @Webboysurf as Arsenal and Captain America, @Hound55 as the Blue Beetle, & @Star Lord as Wonder Woman}

Previously: The Needs of the Many

The suit had been badly damaged during the fight with Wonder Woman. The majority of its power reserves had been sapped. Stryfe had no knowledge of the engineering that went into it, but even he could guess it had not been designed for prolonged combat with Wonder Woman. It was a showpiece, a prop, at best, it was a prototype. Still, Stryfe was able to sustain flight as he limped back towards the Four Freedoms Plaza.

Forcing the suit to fly a little higher, the leader of the Metahuman Supremacy Front re-entered the building. Firing the suit’s thrusters in short bursts, Stryfe maneuvered the suit the best he could, still coming to a rough landing.

Griffin was the first to greet him, helping his father stand while the technicians began to examine the suit and attempt to repair the failing power systems.

“Status report!” Stryfe called towards the techs.

“Star City is completely offline.” A technician replied while others began to remove the heavy armour from Reverend Stryker’s body.

“No,” Stryfe ordered, raising a hand to wave them away. “The battle is not over, we have to make our last stand here.”

“Dad,” Griffin started, but Stryker silenced his son. It wouldn’t do him any good now to hear the pleas of the boy he knew was going to be left fatherless.

“You need to go home,” Stryker ordered, “Someone will need to take care of your mother.” He added before turning to address the rest of his followers.

“In fact, anyone here who is the sole caretaker of their household, you must leave. Our mission, while burdened with glorious purpose, should not leave those who cannot fend for themselves defenceless.” Stryfe bellowed, “There is no shame in this, you have fulfilled your role, and I can not ask any more of you.”

“To those of you who stay,” He continued, “You will be facing death, but know in that, there is salvation. You die for the greater good, you die so that others can live, free of the children of the atom” As the group cheered, Stryfe nodded in satisfaction.

Activating the stolen technology, Stryker created a portal for those who needed to depart. Sharing one last look with Griffin, Stryker turned his back, unable to watch his son leave.

“They’re gone, Sir.” One of the technicians informed him, prompting Stryfe to immediately shut down the machine. Raising an armoured fist, he quickly brought it down on the console, erasing any chance of his pursuers being able to follow his boy.

“Come now,” Stryfe motioned towards the doors and windows, “Prepare the room for breaching.” He ordered, “We may die here today as martyrs, but we’re sure as hell not going out without a fight.”

---

The building was eerily quiet. Roy had his sidearm drawn, while Cap had his shield out. There was no movement, no signs of anyone nearby… just silence. They couldn’t access the top few floors from the stairwell, seeing as Reed was apparently far too paranoid and secure for his own good. The two men made little sound as they searched the floor briskly. Of course, no signs of the hostages nor the MSF. Steve turned his gaze towards Roy and his quiver of arrows. "Please tell me you have-”

A low hum from across the open room made them both silent, and the two men raised their respective weapons as they approached the elevator. Whatever was on the other side… it couldn’t be good. Roy tapped on his tinted glasses a couple times, and the visuals changed until he got exactly what he wanted: A 3D thermal view through the elevator shaft. The archer watched as the elevator came into view from below, filled with armed soldiers. Roy raised his left hand as he observed the soldiers rise more and more. He was so focused on watching where the soldiers were going that he almost missed another thermal signature… below the elevator. The scarlet archer tilted his head slightly at this, before looking to Steve. “I… open the door.”

Steve gave a nod, holstering the shield on his back while forcing his fingers in between the sliding metal doors into the elevator shaft. With one quick motion, Steve was able to easily slide them open and hold them in place while Roy crouched down and looked up, sidearm pointed up towards the blue figure dangling from beneath the elevator, not saying a single word as he waited for the hostiles to exit the elevator.

The Blue Beetle looked down to where bright light burst into the elevator shaft, he glanced nervously up towards where armed soldiers were disembarking, watching a sliver of light flicker with shade matching their footfalls. He looked back down towards Roy and offered a feeble wave.

---

Ted stood in the elevator bay with a red garbed guy and Captain America, re-coiling his line while getting the low-down from the pair.

"So… I take it you got my message…"

Steve shook his head. “I’m afraid not, son. We picked up some weird signals here and ran a quick scan. Found hostages and hostiles. Speaking of…” Captain America lifted his wrist to his mouth as he walked away, a furrowed brow forming above his eyes.

Roy turned his gaze back towards Ted, shrugging his shoulders. The archer raised an eyebrow at the new guy. “I hope you’re a hacker, Pajama Sam. Or we’re sincerely screwed.”

"Really? You guys just found this place on your own..? Well-- well now I just feel like a dick." He scratched at the back of his cowl. "Blue Beetle." Ted held out a glove to shake hands, and then awkwardly removed it once he saw that the man in red had his arms crossed, sizing him up, and how that wasn't going to change anytime soon. "I'm the reason why these things are only tearing the Hell out of Midtown instead of spreading to the outer boroughs, so… I guess..? Maybe, probably, sorta..?" He glanced down and checked his belt to make sure his USB was still there. "Let's just go with 'yes.'"

Steve returned, giving a slight nod to both men. “Alright, intel shows that the MSF has barricaded themselves in with the equipment and the hostages. So we are only going to have one chance at this, and no live ammo. Arsenal, you’re breaching from outside. Blue, you’re with me.”

"_{No live ammo..?} Sure. Not a problem."

Steve gave a nod as Roy pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow-like it was second nature. With the arrow loaded, the archer pulled a small metal box from his utility belt and flicked open the top, revealing a line of microrope and attaching the exposed end to the modified arrowhead. He used one hand to toss it towards Cap, who caught it and hooked it onto his belt while Roy fired the arrow up into the elevator a few floors above. Cap gave a curt nod to Harper as the archer made his way across the room towards the windows, before turning his gaze towards his new ally. “Alright, the goal is to incapacitate the hostiles before they can start opening fire. Arsenal is going to give them a party favour, and then we burst into the room. Keep behind me, and make a break for whatever is controlling the towers as soon as you have the chance. We’ve got your back. Any questions?”

"Ah no. No, that's-- that's pretty straightforward really."

The Blue Beetle unholstered his makeshift B.B. gun and looked at it. He still had no idea if the thing would even work.

He steadied himself and got ready to go.

“Wait for my signal.” Steve stepped out into the stairwell, and the microrope caught his weight and allowed him to hang over the impending pit. With a tap on the metal box on his utility belt, and the rope began coiling itself to allow Cap to begin automatically hoisting up towards the elevator up above. When he reached the elevator, Steve pulled out a nondescript canister. He lifted the canister up towards the bottom of the elevator and sprayed a foam circle. Almost immediately, Cap holstered the canister and then removed his shield from his back, placing it between himself and the foam ring. Within seconds, the foam began burning bright as the modified thermite foam began cutting through the elevator’s floor until the crude circle Cap had drawn fell out from the bottom of the elevator and dropped the long distance towards the lower floors. “Alright, all clear.”

Steve suddenly felt a light tapping on his right shoulder. He looked down and saw the Blue Beetle had thrown a grapple line up at him. "Little help..?" He whispered.

Steve dropped the rope back down, reached down and hoisted up the blue hero with one arm. "Thanks. I'm-- a little banged up at the moment."

Cap helped the Beetle into the elevator, before using a single arm to hoist himself into the elevator. Captain America readjusted the grip on his shield.

Roy, on the other hand, was a bit busy. He was busy pulling a small laser from his utility belt and cutting through the glass. It took only a few seconds for the pane of glass to fall out towards the street below. A modified grappling arrow later, and Roy found himself outside of the building and walking parallel to the structure. Roy loaded up a small gun that looked similar to a flare gun and lifted it up towards the window of the floor just above. A tap of his HUD, and Roy was able to see the thermal readings of the individuals up above. He took a deep breath and began counting down. “Ten, nine, eight…”

“Three, two, one…”

“Kick it!”

Roy fired the gun, and a canister shot through the window shattering it. It bounced off the ceiling and hit one of the hostiles square in the jaw to knock him out cold instantly. It took a second for anyone to realize what was going on. And by the time they had, this party favour activated. The canister opened up and launched smaller flashbang grenades, which created a massive blast of light and sound to disorient everyone on one side of the room.

And with that, Cap and Roy breached simultaneously. Cap forced open the elevator doors and immediately rushed forward, shield up to begin bashing MSF forces out of the way. Roy, in the meantime, lifted up his ICER rifle and detached his line as he began firing at the MSF forces… until his eyes settled on one particularly well-armoured individual. Roy swore in his mind profusely as he quickly finished unloading the ICER round while shouting out towards Stryfe. “I think you ordered an ass-kicking off Prime Now. I need you to sign for it, you fuck.”

Cap shook his head as he delivered a swift punch into a dazed MSF operative’s jaw, knocking him out rather quickly as he muttered under his breath, “Kids these days.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,” Stryfe lifted his gauntlet towards the archer to fire a blast that just barely missed. “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The Blue Beetle ran across the room, his legs pumping like pistons. Worn pistons deteriorated from use and corrosion, but pistons nonetheless. Ted raised his B.B. gun and fired off a single blast of blinding bright light, disorientating the soldiers on one side of the room. He spotted the control room, veered to change course and slid through the door, turning and slamming it behind him for what little protection it could provide.

The room had screens everywhere. A console with flickering lights and buttons… and a laptop jacked into an auxiliary port to the console. They'd brought their own equipment. Further confirmation that this was outsiders just looking for a powerful established system to jack into. Ted raced over and turned the laptop on, hearing crashes and groans from behind the door, which told the story that the conflict still raged on outside.

The hostages took the chaotic moment as an opportunity to run away from the conflict and barricade themselves into a separate room, apart from the evil armoured man. Meanwhile, Roy was still busy dodging blasts from Stryfe’s gauntlet, ducking and weaving between the furniture, equipment and crates. His luck ran out when he tried to zig, and Stryfe chose to aim his gauntlet to zag. Arsenal went flying backwards, slamming his back into the far wall behind him as Stryfe turned his attention towards the Blue Beetle. Stryfe began sauntering over towards the Beetle until a particular vibranium shield slammed against a support pillar in front of him before colliding straight into the hostile’s chest. Cap rounded that out by rushing up behind Stryfe and slamming his palm into the back of Stryfe’s head to bring him down to the ground. The sheer force of the impact created cracks in the floor beneath Stryfe.

“Welcome to the USA, pal.”

The victory was short-lived, as another firing of Stryfe’s gauntlets into the ground was enough to send both men shooting up towards the ceiling. Cap’s back slammed into the tiled ceiling before the two both fell back through the cracked floor and into the open floor below.

"Come ooooooooon! Load! … LOAD!" Ted scowled at the slow-booting laptop, standing over it with frustration. "There!" Ted started working away, he pulled his hack tools out, jacked in and set to work on the password security.

Cap and Stryfe were both bruised and beaten rather spectacularly, and were a little slow in getting up. Stryfe spat out a glob of blood and mucus as he stared his foe right in the eye.

“You can not stop what is already done, Captain.”

Steve forced himself back up on to his feet, closing both of his fists and holding them up as he got back into his fighting stance. He gave a small smile with his cracked and bloody lips. “I could do this all-”

Before he could even finish that statement, Stryfe fired his gauntlet square towards Cap’s chest and knocked him backwards. The World War II vet flew through the window behind him, managing to just barely catch the ledge before he began a rather long and rapid descent to the pavement below. He struggled to hold on with his fingertips as Stryfe sauntered over.

“I would say it has been an honour, Captain, but I don’t lie.”

As he lowered his gauntlet, a voice called out from behind Stryfe. “You forgot to sign, asshole.” Stryfe was barely able to look back before the explosive arrow impacted against his back and rocketed him forward and out the window to take a tumble towards the ground. Roy walked over and held out his hand towards Steve, who was able to pull himself up enough to get hoisted back onto a solid floor. The two were very clearly out of breath and sprawled themselves on the ground for a moment to enjoy the breather.

The Blue Beetle sighed with relief as he bypassed the password screen, finally free to get to the inner workings of their system. First things first, beat the bomb. Ted started to search through past processes looking for something like a countdown or self-destruct sequences. The glow of the screen lit his smile as he found what he was looking for.

Cap and Roy groaned their way back on to their feet, only to hear a noise from outside. Stryfe had just rocketed up into view, his gauntlets pointed towards the two “heroes.”

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Roy gave a quick look to Cap and sighed. With speed and finesse that had earned him his old sidekick nickname, Arsenal nocked back an arrow while quickly hooking up a microrope from his gauntlet onto the arrowhead. Cap, on the other hand, lifted up his forearm just in time for his trusty shield to come flying in and lock in place. Stryfe fired both gauntlets in their direction, and the force was intense. Roy only had time to wrap his fist as tightly around the microrope line as he could before he was sent flying across the room and back into the wall next to the elevators. Cap, on the other hand, dug his feet into the proverbial dirt as he slid back a couple feet while his shield absorbed most of the energy. Stryfe went flying back into the building as the arrowhead had impaled itself through his armour and leg and hooked itself in, pulling the villain as he was connected to the scarlet archer temporarily via microrope. As Stryfe went to pass Cap, the latter was able to regain his footing just in time for a well-placed shield bash to the face.

“It’s over, Stryfe. Surrender now peacefully. This is your last chance.” Cap unholsted the sidearm from his belt and lifted it towards Stryfe’s head. The hero turned his gaze away from Stryfe for a second to give a side glance towards Roy, who was lying unconscious and severely wounded. When Cap turned his gaze back towards his target, a raised fist was waiting for him.

“I don’t negotiate with the unclean.” Yet another gauntlet blast was triggered just before Cap pulled the trigger. The shockwave sent the bullet flying backwards and into Steve Rogers’ shoulder as the hero went flying back into a support pillar, placing a sizable dent in it. Cap fell back on to his side at the foot of the pillar. His body was weak, and he spat out a bit of the blood that was pooling in his mouth. All Cap could bring himself to do for a moment was to just breath as he watched his adversary rise to his feet and lift his gauntlet up in the air towards him again.

“It’s a shame it had to be you, Captain, I was really hoping it would be-”

Stryfe paused when he heard the wall behind him breaking and turned to see Wonder Woman with her iconic sword. It was covered by fresh blood along with her armour, which still had some dust from their last encounter. She stared at him without saying a single word in anger and disgust. Stryfe aimed his gauntlet and fired, but she quickly moved out of the way. In an instant, Wonder Woman grabbed and crushed his hand with ease. Stryfe cried out in pain, staggering backwards before approaching Wonder Woman.

“I tell you..” He started, continuing to move towards Wonder Woman. “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Wonder Woman heard his words but felt nothing at all. She pulled out her lasso, shoved Stryfe to the ground, and tied it around his neck. Stryfe tried to escape by punching her with his left hand. But it only caused her to crush it. He didn’t scream or plead, but instead remained silent, accepting of his fate.

---

The Blue Beetle continued to work away as sweat dripped down his face. This time he was pretty sure it wasn't just flop sweat from the heightened anxiety of the situation. It was hot as blazes with all of the machinery. Clearly, the room wasn't designed for the door to be closed normally. He wiped it away with the back of his glove and kept working. So far he had ended the threat of the bombs, stopping the countdown with only a few minutes remaining, and now he was working on a way to shut the towers down entirely and end this whole horrific endeavour.

He brought up a list of established networks and began checking them.

{View OMFS#1A}

One of the monitors cut to static.

"Ah, ok. That one's down. Getting the hang of this, not long now..."

{View OMFS#1B}

"Okay, Madison Square Garden. Do that one last… Let's see if I can't hurry this along a little..."

{View OMFS#1*}

Suddenly all of the monitors cut to feeds, left to right with numerous screens set to static. "We'd done better than I thought."

{End_Session OMFS#1C}

The third screen, featuring a tower in Bedford-Stuyvesant cut out. Ted could barely contain himself. He checked his comm-link and his 'partner' in the Bug.

"How're we going up there? One should have just cut out in Bed-Stuy?"

"It did. I was about to tell you! The little light went off!"

"That was me! Ted shared in her excitement. "I did that! Hang on, I think I've got this figured out now! I'm gonna shut this all down, and then I'll come to get you!"

{End_Session OMFS#1C}
{End_Session OMFS#1D}
{End_Session OMFS#1E}

"They're all going off now!"

The Blue Beetle couldn't keep the smile from his face if he wanted to.

---

Wonder Woman didn’t pay any attention to anything except Stryfe. She looked at him emotionless and asked, “How do we undo your mess?”

“You cannot undo that which is already done.”

Then, she asked another question. “Did you make both the towers and robots?”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways, first he giveth…”

Another one but she made sure to pull on the lasso harder. “Then, who did?”

“...Then he taketh away.”

Wonder Woman paused to reflect the answers. What was he saying? It didn’t make any sense. Regardless, she asked her final question. “What was the point of attacking both New York City and Star City?”

Cap slowly rose to his feet, holding his side as he leaned against the support pillar that he had collided with. His gaze rested on Diana’s blade. The blood was not a good sign… especially after the talk, they had not that long ago. But that wasn’t important right now. He lifted a finger to his ear.

“Captain Rogers to Forward Base Alpha. Four Freedoms has been secured. We’re going to need EMS ASAP.” With business taken care of, Cap turned his gaze towards Diana, and nodded towards her weapon. “What have you done?”

“My job.” Wonder Woman answered coldly towards her old friend. She grabbed Stryfe and threw him into the nearest elevator. He was thrown hard enough to leave behind a dent on its metal wall. Then, she walked towards him and grabbed onto the rope to keep him from running away. “Come on, let’s get back to ground level. We can talk if you want.”

Cap shook his head. “We’ll talk later. Right now, it’s best we take care of Stryfe.” Steve took a moment to bend down next to Roy, giving him a few light slaps to the face to wake the archer up. “Check on Blue upstairs and wait for SHIELD support to arrive.” With that set of orders given, Captain America entered the elevator with Stryfe after calling his shield back to his wrist.

On the floor above, the Blue Beetle looked on his handiwork and grinned. Bombs? Check. Towers of screaming nanodrone death? Check. He had noticed a costumed kid not moving on the monitor for 1J, looked to be across from Staten Island. Ted had got back in touch with Spider-Man over his comm-link and sent him to help the kid. He assumed most of the fight was over, as it had been a long time since he had heard any signs of a scuffle outside.

He slowly edged open the door to the control room and found himself alone, surrounded by a bunch of unconscious MFS soldiers scattered around with no sign of the hostages.

"I'll get this, shall I?" He uttered, pulling a bunch of zip-ties out of his belt and restraining each of the thugs.

Wonder Woman waited for Rogers to enter the elevator before pressing the button that took them to the lobby. Nobody talked once the elevator started going down. Both of the heroes looked slightly disappointed but for different reasons. A small television in the elevator was tuned a news channel. It showed footage of the Empire State Building collapsing while the reporters took a moment to update the viewers. The update was followed by eyewitness accounts of the incident. An older man, covered in dust, told a reporter that he saw Wonder Woman and someone inside a suit leaving the area after it collapsed.

Stryfe stared at Captain America and waited for some sort of reaction. Steve’s face was stoic, and he just stared ahead. His grip on Stryfe’s arm tightened, while his other hand rested on the grip of his sidearm. After what must have been the most agonizing minute the heroes had ever endured, the elevator doors opened to the lobby of the Four Freedoms Plaza.

---

Back upstairs, the Blue Beetle finished restraining the last one and double-checked his handiwork, counting the tied-up goons. He peered down the hole and called out. "Hello?"

He sighed and started reeling out his grapple line. Attaching the hook to a solid-looking chunk of foundation in the broken floor, he swung himself down the hole. The rope pulled taut, before proving that broken foundation is seldom as solid-looking as it appears. Leaving him flat on his back on the floor, looking up at the gaping hole in the ceiling.

"Dammit…" He grunted with a murmur. He couldn't even pretend to be surprised by it all anymore at this point. He gingerly got to his feet once more.

He staggered over to the elevator bay and hit the 'Down' button for the lobby. Roy Harper stepped out of the elevator on the floor above. He looked left and right, seeing Ted’s handiwork and shrugging before he moved to go calm down the hostages in the side room all while waiting for SHIELD officials to arrive.

---

Outside the building, the press had already begun to gather. They crowded the series of double doors that lined the exterior of the plaza, cameras flashing from every side of the windows. Looking up towards his two captors, a smile spread across Stryfe’s face.

“Ready to feel the world’s judgement, false idols?”

Wonder Woman avoided Stryfe’s comment and started walking away from the building. Soon enough, police and SHIELD agents began arriving at the scene. Yet, the paramedics and firefighters were already treating the victims. She stopped near the fountain and waited for the officers to take him away. While she was retrieving her lasso, several members of the press began surrounding both of them and asked their questions.

“Several witnesses said you were at the Empire State Building around the tim-”

“Is it true that you left the city after th-”

“Did you cause the Empire State Building to coll-”

"Please move out of the way.” Wonder Woman ordered the journalists. ”I will answer all of your questions after I’m done here.”

“Wonder Woman could have forced the fight to occur wherever she pleased.” Stryfe suddenly called from Captain America’s side. His comment prompted the reporters to turn towards him, microphones extended towards his mouth to ensure they caught every word.

“Instead, she chose to fight me not only within New York but at the Empire State Building.” Stryfe added working the reporters into a frenzy.

“Don’t believe in his lies! He’s trying to turn everyone against us! That was why he attacked New York City and Star City! To make sure that this nation hates mutants!” Wonder Woman interrupted Stryfe before he could finish.

“Then why didn’t you bother to check for survivors, hero?” Stryfe sneered. “So quick to point the finger at me, but I guarantee your death toll is just as high as my own. You may claim to fight for these people, but you do so without any regard for their lives.”

“You were planning on blowing up the entire city! You had to be stopped. Besides, you were the one that caused the Empire State Building to fall. Not me!” Wonder Woman responded to the question and looked around at the growing crowd. “I would have checked for survivors! But, this murderer was planning on killing millions! He had to be stopped!”

“Wonder Woman had me dead to rights, but she let me go. Why? Wonder Woman was part of the Metahuman Supremacy Front." Stryfe smiled. “All this was a show, it was her plan in the first place.”

The crowd gasped in horror at the grand reveal, but Wonder Woman knew the truth. She stood in front of Stryfe to get their attention. “I was never part of his group! I would have never joined in the first place!”

A ding could be heard in the Four Freedoms Plaza lobby, and the Blue Beetle emerged, seeing a media scrum start to form outside around the two heroes of old and the villain of the day. He trotted after them.

One of the press raised his voice and said, “I mean… with your recent actions at the Capitol and Transia… This might be crazy to ask, but were you apart of his group?”

“No!” Wonder Woman cried out. “You’re falling for his lies!”

“Colonel Trevor would be so ashamed of you. I doubt he could even look you in the eyes after the atrocities you’ve committed today.” Stryfe interjected.

“Don’t you fucking dare say his name, you bastard!” Wonder Woman turned to look Stryfe after Trevor was brought up. She shoved him towards the fountain as the crowd gasped. Stryfe began turning towards Wonder Woman, a broad grin on his face. He was about to get exactly what he wanted, and everyone would see these abominations the same way he did. Stryfe closed his eyes and began to lift his arms wide open. But as Diana took a step forward, she felt an elbow shoved straight in her sternum. Captain Steven Rogers, in one smooth motion and no expression on his face, unholstered his sidearm and pointed it directly between Stryfe’s eyes.

_{^{~ BANG ~}}

With one shot, the armoured villain fell backwards with his arms outstretched on either side as his deathless gaze looked towards the sky. Captain Rogers holstered his sidearm and turned away from the media. Steve gave a brief look towards Diana, sighing slightly before turning around and raising a hand.

“Clear the Plaza. Go home, spend time with your loved ones.”

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

<Snipped quote by Retired>

Key Difference is that Black Adam gets beat up by a 10 year old and Doctor Doom's the greatest being in the universe.

Just don't say the R-word near him.

@Hillan

Reed?

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Retired I may do that. I actually discovered Red Star which I have thought about which I could keep my Russian vibe but the Black Adam angle is interesting to think about.

@Archangel89

If your dead set on Russian, Red Star is definitely the better choice.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

This is what I have so far including the sample which is still in progress.

Glory to Mother Russia!!

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

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Lor-Zod / Dorofei Zardunich ♦ Retired General ♦ Serbian Tundra ♦ Russian Federation

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

---

^{"I offered them Utopia, but they fought for the right to live in Hell."}

The "Red Son" story was always my favorite Superman story because it paints an entirely different outlook for the iconic hero. I have always wanted to create a narrative that explored the idea, 'What if this Superman failed and life played out as normal?' That is what this concept is. The Red Son and the U.S.S.R. lost the Cold War and the Communist party crumbled to the wayside. What happens to this Kryptonian when the ideals he swore to were uprooted and replaced with the very regime that he fought against.

While it is also apparent that this iteration will not be a version of Clark, instead I plan on using the altered variation of General Zod. A seasoned commander who, true to his original backstory, tried to start an uprising that ultimately failed and saw him banished from Krypton. Disillusioned from this defeat he lands on Earth and aids the USSR in their rise but does not reveal himself as a superpowered weapon. Choosing to disguise himself as a General he was once again thwarted when Communism fell he now has to decide what his life will be for now.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

---

The General will be very much a man in search of purpose. Having put his faith in the Communist party but seeing their vision lacking, Lor-Zod will have turned his life into isolation as his beloved Motherland succumbed to will have sealed himself away in his "Winter Palace" pining over the loss of two homelands. When he finally ia called back to service he is unsure if he can work in a society that is so against everything he has come to accept. With the Age of Superheroes in full effect he has to choose how best to use his power and talents.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

---

Pyotr Roslov ♦ During the Cold War Pyotr was the head of the NKVD and the only individual, other than the Premier, who knew the truth to his origin. Zod confided much in him and considers him his closest, if only, friend in the world. Now a man in his golden years of life Pyotr continues to earn a living as a military consultant to the current regime in regards to superhuman affairs.

The Rocket Reds ♦ While he never met them in person, Zod read the files on the Soviet team and their adventures up through their disbandment. While he did not agree fully with the idea of working with the capitalists, the team itself was rather impressive to him.

Wonder Woman♦ Another hero Zod never personally met, but read the file on. While there was little in her history what he saw of her during his time gave him a certain respect for her, if nothing else, then professionally as combatant.

S A M P L E P O S T:

---

_{Location: Unknown Location - Serbian Tundra - Present}

Issue #1:Back in the Saddle Again

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: None

---

The high winds tossed the helicopter around causing the elderly man to grip his seat in a white knuckled grip. Pyotr had never liked these things and if it were not for this assignment he would not have come this far out into the godforsaken wilderness in one. The land was barren as far as the eye could see, nothing but frozen tundra for miles around which always made Pyotr wonder why and how HE chose to live out here. The ride lasted for another thirty minutes or so when the site they were looking for came into view. An old satellite station used in the old days as a long distance transmission station for the Motherlands troops all across Russia. When the chopper landed Pyotr quickly stood up and got out and was immediately hit with a blast of freezing wind. After leaving instructions with the pilot he made his way inside.

The inside was barren, outdated equipment lay scattered across desks as if everyone that worked in the facility suddenly picked up and left in a hurry. Clutching the coat tighter around his neck Pyotr walked further in the facility. Memories flooded him as the past seemed to come alive before him, he could hear the sounds of hard working Russians going about their duties for the glory of the Motherland. Shaking his head dismissively he continued his way down the winding hallways of the facility until he reached his destination. A great steel door blocked his passage as he looked at the keypad just to the left of the door. Pulling from years of knowledge Pyotr keyed in the passcode and waited as the great steel door creaked and groaned into action as it slowly parted revealing a service elevator.

The ride itself didn't feel as far as it was and it wasn't until the door reopened to reveal a massive underground hanger/research facility that Pyotr truly remembered the scope of where he was. The high concrete ceiling of the room seemed to go on forever as he continued to walk past rows upon rows of tables of computers and other lab equipment. Unlike the things he saw above this equipment seemed newer, not by much, but seemed to be cleaner and to have been used more frequently than that above. In the distance he could hear what seemed to be music coming from a well lit area in the center of the room where he worked his way towards. As the area came into view a single man sat with his back turned to him as Pyotr slowly approached him, the sound of a heavy bass rhythm pounded and echoed through the room as HE came into better focus. He looked as if he couldn't be more than his late thirties with hair greying along his temples. A muscular man he sat as the pounding rhythm of the music assaulted the silence of the room, a small trickle of vodka fell into the thick mass that was his beard as he put the glass down and spoke,

"They call this Slavic hard bass it seems quite popular among the youth nowadays…"

As his voice trailed off one could hear the saddening undertone of his words. All Pyotr could do was chuckle,

"Yes, the young people never did have a decent taste in music, even in our day hehe."

Walking from behind the man Pyotyr sat on the couch opposite the man and slowly turned the radio off. As he gazed upon the figure before him he couldn't help but marvel at the specimen before him. It had been thirty years since he last saw him but physically he didn't appear to have aged. A man still in his prime with only minor discoloration of his hair, Pyotr could only dream of such an existence.

"So...what brings the head of the NKVD to my humble 'Winter Palace'?" the sarcasm dripping from his every word.

"Always quick to the point weren't you Zod? Well, the Motherland needs your help."

"The Motherland is dead Pyotr...we killed it thirty years ago."

The cold and almost cruel demeanor that emanated from Zod caught Pyotr off guard. Such hate and disillusionment was not befitting the man that was heralded as a hero of the Warsaw Pact. The love he once felt for his adopted homeland had seemed to wax cold which caused some offense to the elderly man.

"She has not died General...but merely evolved, become something different. We fight with the people on our side governing with a fair and just hand…"

"Did we not do the same in the Republic? Did we not offer safety and balanced justice for all? We could have brought peace to all nations, but you decided to divide us and make us weak."

A deep sigh escaped Pyotr as he really couldn't deny what Zod said. Nevertheless he pressed forward,

"Times have changed Zod the world has become perilous and unstable, as you said it would. There are others like you who have come out of the shadows with power comparable to yours. Hell even the Americans heroes like you now. I have been tasked by the Prime Minister to bring together a team to protect the Russian people from this new era and you are the only one I have faith in to lead it. So would you please help an old friend protect his home?"

The cold grey eyes closed as he shook his head and gave a weak smile,

"For you my friend I will try."

@Archangel89

I have a lot of questions regarding this sheet, to be honest. But firstly, in the spirit of honesty, I don't think this sheet will add anything to the game and in fact, I think it takes away more than it contributes. A lot of Inkarnate's original concept which now lives on through @Iceheart is built on the idea that Kara was the first Kryptonian hero and while I realize that Zod didn't reveal his abilities (we'll get to that in a bit), it kind of undercuts the entire premise of Supergirl by having another Kryptonian.

Furthermore, if accepted, Red Zod would be the third Kryptonian character. I really don't think we need three Kryptonians in an RP where there are a lot more options available. I know you've been gunning for a Kryptonian character for a while now, but I don't think this is going to be your opportunity to play out that desire. As much as I've tried to make Absolute open for new and different concepts, as the IC has come together there's been a certain status quo created and I don't think this idea meshes with the world presented by the IC.

A seasoned commander who, true to his original backstory, tried to start an uprising that ultimately failed and saw him banished from Krypton. Disillusioned from this defeat he lands on Earth and aids the USSR in their rise but does not reveal himself as a superpowered weapon.

The above quote, in my opinion, contains two conflicting statements. If this Zod is true to his original backstory when he was banished from Krypton, how did he not end up in the Phantom Zone? Furthermore, why would he hide his true nature? It would not be in Zod's character to hide his true power nor would he aid in such a small conflict, let alone lose when he himself likely could have conquered the world.

Furthermore, communism doesn't seem like something General Zod would warm towards. I'm pretty sure he's more of the mind of fascism. Either way, I feel as though by simply saying this is the canon General Zod except this happened instead doesn't entirely work and raises more questions than it provides answers.

I like the idea of other nations trying to compete in a superhuman arms race with the United States, but I don't think this sheet contributes to that notion nor adds anything substantial to the game right now. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to pass on Red Zod.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

_{An excerpt from Titans - Chapter One: Part Five}

Placeholder

---

Adrenaline surged through his body. The rhythmic thumping in his chest synchronized with the furious pumping of his legs. He rounded what felt like the tenth corner, sneakers skidding across the loose dirt and pebbles. Hastily navigating the labyrinthian back alleys with the telltale sounds of a struggle guiding his path, Eli grit his teeth as another scream from Starfire rang out.

Damn it, he cursed. Not fast enough.

Rounding the final corner, Elijah skidded to a stop, nearly toppling over at the abrupt reversal of momentum. He narrowly avoided colliding with a man sailing through the air, the body slamming hard against a brick wall. Following the trajectory of the man, Eli spotted Koriand'r floating several feet above the ground.

She appeared in rough shape. Her shirt was torn, portions completely missing, and almost looked to be melted at the edges. Her golden skin was blotched red in some spots, and her forearms looked nearly blistered. Fists balled tightly and green eyes flaring with energy, the alien girl loomed over the man she had just thrown.

"That is enough. You are defeated. I do not wish to hurt you any further."

Eli allowed himself a mental sigh of relief as he realized Koriand'r had the situation handled, albeit a little worse for wear in the process. He looked towards the man who was nursing a small gash across the forehead. Looking to be in his 30's, the man wore dark, heavy clothing with sleeves rolled up to reveal comprehensive inkwork. The word 'melter' was featured prominently in gaudy text along one arm. And, Eli couldn't be sure, but as the man slowly shuffled to his feet there appeared to be track marks noticeable around the inside of an elbow.

"Shit, man!" A new voice swore loudly.

The sudden cursing reminded Elijah that he had been warned of multiple men participating in an attack on a kid. Glancing to his left, Eli spotted the other perpetrator cowering against a wall. More handsome and with softer features than his partner, this one looked terrified as his eyes flicked between the two combatants.

Eli's gaze then drifted over further to notice the prone form of a young, green-skinned boy. He barely had enough time to register this unusual appearance before he heard Koriand'r shouting in his direction. Whipping his head back around, the teen was confronted by the tattooed man's raised arm. Elijah wasn't aware of the danger until the outstretched hand glowed with crimson. Eyes widening, he reacted too slowly as the energy radiated forth.

His vision was filled with fiery red. Koriand'r quickly positioned herself before him, throwing her arms in a cross to shield him from the blast. Eli could feel no heat from the energy, but he watched as his friend's skin bubbled and began to peel away slightly. She let out an angry yell and launched her body forward, forcing her way through the attack to once more confront the powered individual.

Eli stumbled back, catching himself before he fell. Holy fucking shit!

He stared in amazement as the two fought before him. Koriand'r doing her best to subdue the man without serious harm while her foe relentlessly unleashed wave after wave of that unknown energy.

This is... Eli's thoughts both raced and struggled to form coherently. I knew they existed. I've seen what Starfire could do. But... Jesus shit Christ.

Even despite his panic, Eli wanted to join the fight. His muscles tensed as he watched, hoping to find an opening to help Koriand'r take the man down. But as he witnessed another crimson beam streak past Koriand'r, he knew that this conflict was far above his weight class. Eli dug his fingers hard into each palm out of frustration.

Taking a second to focus himself, Eli forced his gaze away from the superpowered struggle. The boy was the real priority, he knew. When he looked back towards the kid, Elijah saw the handsome man bending down to drag the body away.

Eli charged forward, reacting on pure instinct, and closed the distance in a few strides. Dropping his right shoulder down, he bodychecked the would-be-abductor causing both to topple over one another. The two scrambled back off the ground quickly, squaring off. Despite the fear etched across his attractive face, the man still managed to snarl at Eli as he produced a switchblade from a pocket.

Elijah moved into a defensive position. "You don't wanna do this, man."

Switching his hold on the knife to an underhanded grip, the man nervously took a step forward. "I need the kid. I can't leave here without him."

"That's not happening."

@Retired

Check out more here!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@role model It would probably be easier if you joined the game's Discord if you want step by step instructions.